Desperate times, Desperate Measures
by Con67
Summary: It has been a full year since the nighthowler incident, and Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde have yet to solve another big case, but, when Nick is placed undercover to find out about criminal organization, the duo get stuck in the middle of their biggest case yet. With personal ties and old friendships discovered, will they get to the mastermind, or will the mastermind get to them?


_I'm gonna get this over with: I DO NOT OWN ZOOTOPIA, THE CHARACTERS, THE SETTING, OR THE COVER ART FOR THIS STORY. THAT BELONGS TO DISNEY AND THE ZOOTOPIA TEAM/DIRECTORS._

 _see, that wasn't so bad :)_

Chapter 1

* * *

"Oh Juuddyyy!" A charismatic Nick Wilde called over his cubicle.

" Yes Nick?" Judy answered.

"Could you help me with my last two reports before the deadline?" He asked

"No"

"Why?" Nick retorted as he got up and walked over to Judy's cubicle.

"Because if you keep asking me you will become overly dependent on me!" Judy answered, giggling. "What happens when I'm out?"

"I'll ask Clawhouser. You know all that fat cat does is eat doughnuts as he constantly pours over Gazelle merch," Nick said, a sly grin growing on his face.

"Nick! Keep your voice down!" Judy practically screamed. She was upset that Nick would even think about that.

"Oh come on, that wasn't so bad!"

"Jeez, you are so insufferable! Think about others feelings!"

Judy went back to work on her last report. Nick stood there and stared until she finished, which didn't take long, as the rabbit was hyped up on caffeine.

"Great, your done!" Nick cheered.

"So?" Judy answered, knowing something was about to happen. Nick had tricked her too many times.

"So... about that report," Nick said, staring her down.

"Geez, you don't stop, do you?"

"I've taught myself," Nick chuckled. "It's called a hustle sweetheart."

Judy laughed, as he said their signature line. It has been almost a year since the nighthowler incident, but Nick spent most of that time at the academy. This was his first real week on the job.

"Fine," Judy held her hands up in defeat.

"Great! I'll send you the files. I owe you one, carrots." Nick said over-enthusiastically as he walked back to his cubicle.

"You owe me ten," Judy said in a low voice.

* * *

"And done!"

"Same here! Just in time too! Where do you want to go for lunch, carrots?" We should have time, since we aren't going out on patrol.

The two discussed lunch plans as they headed to the entrance hall of the ZPD. Nick got a few compliments for completing the academy. He was also in the top of his class, just like Judy. His muscles had gotten bigger too. None of his street clothes fit after he graduated, which everyone thought was funny. Judy had missed Nick when he was away, but they spent time together when Nick was free. They had just passed the front desk and Clawhouser's Gazelle music when a booming voice echoed through the hall.

HOPPS! WILDE! OFFICE!

"Great, Nick stated, now we have to go deal with Chief Buffalo-Butt."

"Come on Nick! He's not so bad, stop being so upset about it!"

"Oh really? he sure doesn't seem to like me."

"Whatever."

* * *

"You two," the chief started, "are being assigned new" "PARTNERS?! Yelled Nick and Judy at the same time before the chief could finish.

"Sir, please. That can't happen! It's only the first week!" Judy pleaded.

"She's right, sir! Nick said. You can't just.."

"SILENCE!" The chief said loud enough to shut them up. "Now, what I was going to say before I was RUDELY interrupted, was that you two were going to be assigned new duties for this evening."

"Oh!" Judy gave a little squeak.

"You two will be backup for a stakeout happening this evening at 5." Clawhouser will give you the files. "Between now and then, you might as well teach Clawhouser how to operate a gun." He grunted a bit on the last sentence. "Dismissed."

"Told you that fat cat can't do anything." Nick smirked as they were walking down the hallway.

"Nick! Promise me that you will keep your mouth shut when we're working with him."

"Ok, fluff, whatever thou wish."

They walked the rest of their short trip in silence. Nick pulled his phone out and started playing a game

"Nick! Put that away!" Judy hissed

"Why, I'm not hurting anyone by doing it, am I?"

"Ugh, you are insufferable"

That made him crack a smile

"You don't even know," he replied

"Clawhouser!" Judy started. "How you doing?"

"I'm pretty good. Hey Nick," Clawhouser said with a smile.

"Oh, hello Clawhouser," he said, not even looking up from his phone.

He got a nudge and angry look from Judy, who then relayed the news to him.

"What! He's finally trusting me with a gun! O...M...Goodness!" He yelled happily, his paws clenched in fists buried in his neck. That's amazing!

"Wait, if he is just now trusting you with it, why haven't you had experience with it? Nick questioned, finally paying attention.

"I learned at the academy but since i was going to have a desk job they didn't touch on the subject much. Probably because Bogo asked them to."

"Huh. Well then. I guess it's time you learned!" Judy said happily.

The threesome made their way to the firing range while discussing the seriousness and safety of a gun. They talked about the differences of a taser and a real gun and when to use each. Both Nick and Judy were surprised to see that Clawhouser let his silly side fall and put on a serious face. As they entered the range, which was at the back of the building, Judy took out her gun and taser and laid them on the table. Nick went to the corner to get extra clips and cartridges.

"All right, let's get started, Judy said. This is the grip…"

She went through each part of the gun and taser, while Nick got targets set up. Once Judy was finished Nick started talking.

"Alright! So, let's see what you got first. Then we can improve on that."

"Ok. I'll do my best," Clawhouser said in a hopeful voice.

He went to where Nick was standing, while Nick went over to Judy. All three of them put on sound canceling headphones, and Clawhouser lined up his shot. Almost instantly he pulled the trigger, which made Nick and Judy jump.

"Woah there, Benny!" Nick exclaimed.

"I think this thing is faulty, my shot was way off," Clawhouser said.

"Nah. Here's the trick. What you have to do is imagine it as something more than a outline. Think of it as a nice big doughnut, and the bullseye is the center of the doughnut. You want to get a bullseye so you don't ruin the doughnut so you can eat it later!"

Judy then said, "Also, try taking deeper breaths. Your breaths were too fast."

"Try it like this," said Nick as he assumed the correct position.

Judy couldn't help but notice how perfect the fox's posture was. His feet were spread apart, not leaning too far forward, and gripping the gun just as he was taught in the academy. He took deep breaths and then one big one and stopped after he exhaled half of it. Then he pulled the trigger.

"Aha! Right on the line between 9 and bullseye!" Nick exclaimed, proud of himself.

"Good job Nick!" Clawhouser said approvingly while clapping.

"Tsk tsk. Not a true bullseye," Judy said while twirling her gun on her index finger.

"Well then, let's see it carrots." Nick had his signature sly grin growing on his face. He didn't believe for one bit that she could do better.

"Ok." Judy stopped the gun mid-twirl in one hand and in a matter of a second she had turned the safety off and pulled the trigger. It hit just shy of the center, but was well within the bullseye ring. Both Nick's and Clawhouser's jaws dropped.

"What?" I had to do something while you were at the academy.

"Hehe. Sly bunny," Nick replied

"Dumb fox"

The duo helped Clawhouser until he got pretty good handling a gun. Then they headed to the cruiser to go help with the stakeout.

"Thanks you guys!" Clawhouser said as he headed back to the front desk.

"I think he did pretty good" Judy said as they headed out

"Me too," Nick replied. "He definitely improved."

They reached their police cruiser and Nick climbed into the passenger seat.

"That's weird." Judy said

"What is?"

"The Doors, i could have sworn I locked them."

"Well, whatever."

Nick put on his shades and they headed out to the stakeout location.

* * *

Judy was finishing her third cup of coffee when she looked over at Nick. He hasn't said anything for a couple of minutes, which was very unlike him.

"Nick. Judy said. Niick. NICHOLAS P. WILDE!"

"W-what?" Nick said, while shifting around to make himself more comfortable.

"You can't just nod off during a stake out!"

"Oh come on carrots. It's been two hours and nothing's happened. "

"Still. You are on duty and you can't just take a nap! You know that!" She said, with irritation.

"Well, do you want to teach me how to stay awake? I can't help myself!" Nick said, with his temper slowly rising.

"NO, DAMN IT! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! WHY CAN'T YOU BE MORE RESPONSIBLE!" Judy screamed.

As good as Nick Wilde was with reading faces, it doesn't take more than a moron to realize that Judy was mad at him.

"I'm sorry"

"You better be."

They sat there and Nick wondered exactly how mad Judy was with him. This had happened all this week, but not this bad. She had had the sternest face on. Ten minutes later, the transmitter buzzed. Then a voice followed.

"Suspects on the move. Requesting backup immediately. Over"

Judy spoke into the transmitter "Hopps and Wilde. 10-4 enroute, Over"

Nick threw the sirens on and Judy punched the gas.

"When we get out I'll chase and you flank them" she stated

"Alright."

Nick couldn't help but think about her being mad at him. Then he noticed something. The edges of the windshield looked weird.

"Carrots, does the windshi-"

"Not now Wilde."

Woah, he thought. She must really be irritated. He looked at Judy, and then at her seatbelt, and noticed that her seatbelt wasn't fully connected to the locking mechanism. Then it clicked. Someone had broke in and tampered with their cruiser! That's why The Doors weren't locked!

"Judy!"

"Shut it!"

"This is important! Someone's tampered with our cruiser!"

"Stop the jokes, Wilde" She said, not even listening.

"You've got to stop up here!" Nick insisted "Your seatbelt is rigged to give!"

"What?" Judy tried the brakes. But they failed.

"Judy! Slow down!" Nick yelled

"I'm trying! The brakes failed!" Judy responded, "And the gas is stuck!" All she realized she could do was keep the car straight. Then more cars came, half black suvs and half police cruisers.

"Nick!" Judy yelled worried.

"It will be ok!" He responded. "Just keep the car straight!" Will it be ok? Her thought to himself. He looked at his surroundings, and noticed the enemies were pulling out their guns. Oh no. He then heard bullets impacting the car's outer armor. One apparently found its spot because he then heard a beeping.

"Maybe it's just the car's alarm for damage." Judy said hopefully. "The beeping then started to get louder and faster."

"Carrots!" Nick screamed! "I don't think that's an alarm!" The beeping then ended, and both mammals looked at each other in question. Then it happened. The back of their car exploded and their car flew into the air. Nick watched, in what felt like slow motion, Judy's seatbelt rip and Judy fly through the windshield... into the oncoming traffic.

* * *

Authors note:

There will be more chapters because I do have a big case planned and some other ideas. Sorry if the chapter was boring, I needed a way to set things up.

I don't have an upload schedule because of school (bear with me), so don't expect anything unless I say.

Sorry if the writing was bad, this is my first story.

Bye people!  
-C


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